Montreal Canadiens Top 5 Centres – #3 The Pocket Rocket

The Montreal Canadiens have entered the quietest time on the calendar. While there is little to look forward to in the month of August, we decided to take a look back at some of the greatest players in franchise history. We continue our site countdown of the five best centres in Canadiens history with our third-ranked centre, Henri ‘The Pocket Rocket’ Richard.

The younger Richard brother grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan right in the heart of Montreal, Quebec., and his favourite player was his older brother, Maurice ‘The Rocket’ Richard. Maurice was 14 years older than Henri, so he got to watch his brother and emulate parts of his game into his own. The intensity and powerful skating was certainly a family trait that translated down to Henri, and the Canadiens benefitted in a huge way because of that fact.

The elder Richard put in a good word with Habs gm Frank J. Selke, and the rest is history. The Pocket Rocket would begin his NHL career with the Canadiens in 1955-56, after four successful seasons with the Montreal Juniors in the QJHL-old. Henri played 193 games and posted 293 points (139 goals and 154 assists) during his time in junior.

As previously mentioned, he made his NHL debut during the ’55-’56 season, and he got to do so alongside his brother. He would play 64 games and post nearly identical goal and assist numbers (19 goals and 21 assists) proving his brother right, and showing he possessed some offensive prowess. He steadily improved his point production over the next two seasons, while competing in the playoffs each of those seasons.

He had a rookie campaign for the ages, earning the most points by a rookie, a Stanley Cup ring and was a Calder trophy finalist. His first of 11 Stanley Cups came right at the beginning of what would become one of the most successful careers by a Canadiens player. He would help the Habs to three more consecutive Stanley Cup wins from ’57-’58 – ’59-’60, and he led the playoffs in points (12) in 1959-60.

A sharpshooter with the speed to burn, The Pocket Rocket was exactly that, while he was smaller in stature, at 5-foot-7 and 161-pounds, he was a speedster, and intense as they come. That intensity and drive to be the best was integral in his league-record 11 Stanley Cup wins. Over the next 10 years, he would help the Habs to six more Stanley Cup wins, two of which he scored the clinching goal, and he won the Bill Masterton Trophy in his second to last season.

The Pocket Rocket retired after the 1974-75 season, his fourth season as captain for the club, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979-80. His 11 Stanley Cup rings rank number one all-time. And his 1046 points (358 goals and 688 assists) in 1256 games, are good for third on the Canadiens’ all-time points list, one spot ahead of his older brother, for all these reasons, Henri Richard is our third-ranked centre all-time for the Montreal Canadiens.

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